Impériale sur le court, Aryna Sabalenka vit pourtant un Roland-Garros très agité. En quête d'un deuxième sacre en Grand Chelem après l'Open d'Australie, en plus du trône d'Iga Swiatek, la Biélorusse, brillante jusqu'ici, a tenu son rang en maîtrisant ce mardi Elina Svitolina 6-4, 6-4. Avec ce succès, Sabalenka a désormais atteint le dernier carré de tous les tournois du Grand Chelem au cours de sa carrière. Toutefois, la fin de match a été sous tension. L'Ukrainienne a été sifflée par le public en ignorant Sabalenka, qui attendait étrangement au filet pour la poignée de mains. En conférence de presse, la Biélorusse s'est expliquée.
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00:00 It is often said that tennis is an individual sport,
00:04 but it is never more beautiful than when it is collective.
00:09 BNP Paribas, faithful to tomorrow's tennis for 50 years.
00:15 Hi, Erin. At the end of the match, you went over to the net
00:18 and you waited for Alina to come over, but you knew that she wasn't going to shake your hand.
00:23 Why did you do that?
00:25 I don't know. It just was an instinct, like I always do after all my matches.
00:29 You said many times last month that you would like to separate sports from politics.
00:39 And we understand that, but the internet never forgets.
00:43 We can find on the internet many photos of you and Aleksandr Lukashenko.
00:48 The question is why you could connect sports and politics in the past,
00:53 and now you are against this connection. Thank you.
00:57 We played a lot of headcups in Belarus.
01:03 He was in our matches, taking pictures with us after the match.
01:09 Nothing bad happened in Belarus, Ukraine or Russia.
01:15 I said many times already that I am not supporting war.
01:22 I don't want my country to be involved in any conflict.
01:26 I said many times, and you know where I stand.
01:30 You have my position, you have my answer. I answered many times.
01:36 I am not supporting the war.
01:39 I don't want sports to be involved in politics, because I am just a tennis player.
01:47 25 years old tennis player.
01:50 If I would like to be political, I wouldn't be here.
01:53 I don't want to be involved in any politics. I just want to be a tennis player.
02:03 Irina, what effect has last Wednesday's press conference had on you over the last week?
02:07 Just the way I was made feeling.
02:11 I felt disrespected.
02:17 I felt like journalists tried to put the words in my mouth.
02:23 I didn't feel comfortable. This is just the way I felt.
02:27 Yeah, that's it.
02:30 The gentleman in the front, just raise your hand.
02:32 This one in the middle. Yes, you.
02:34 Hi, this is Politico Europe from Brussels.
02:38 You say you don't support war, but do you still support Alexander Lukashenko?
02:43 It's a tough question. I don't support war, meaning I don't support Lukashenko right now.
02:53 Hi Irina, congratulations on your tournament so far.
02:58 In your on-court interview, you complimented the crowd.
03:01 It was an incredible atmosphere throughout the match for both of you and very fair.
03:05 Obviously, there were some boos for Alina as she left the court.
03:10 I just wondered whether you were surprised by that, what your emotional reaction to hearing that was.
03:16 I think she didn't deserve all these boos.
03:24 I'm giving such a big respect to her, what she's doing after giving a burst.
03:28 It's impressive and I'm really impressed by what she's doing.
03:31 I give big respect to her.
03:34 Jonathan, raise your hand.
03:37 Congratulations, you have lots of fans around the world.
03:45 They call you the warrior princess.
03:48 In what ways are you a warrior?
03:51 In what ways are you a princess?
03:54 What will it take for you to become the queen here at Roland Garros?
03:58 I'm really thankful for people to call me that way.
04:07 I just feel like I'm a fighter.
04:10 It's not like suppression, it's just like I'm a warrior princess, meaning I'm a great fighter.
04:17 I don't know, to become queen at Roland Garros, I just have to keep focusing on myself, on my game.
04:23 I try to bring my best tennis every time I'm on the court.
04:28 Can you explain the difference between now, today, coming in over here and not coming in after the previous two matches?
04:44 I always really respect press conference.
04:49 I'm always open in my answers.
04:52 I really felt bad not coming here.
04:55 I couldn't sleep, all those bad feelings were in my head.
05:00 I couldn't fall asleep.
05:02 I felt really bad not coming here.
05:05 I really respect all of you guys.
05:07 Thank you so much for coming here, for being interested in me.
05:12 I just felt so bad not coming here.
05:15 You said before the match against Marta in the first round that the circumstances around it made you more nervous, a bit more tense.
05:31 Was it the same today or did it feel different?
05:34 I felt different. I was just focusing on myself and nothing else.
05:39 I just tried to bring my best tennis on court and it was a bit different.
05:43 There's obviously quite a bit of attention here now, perhaps as a result of you not attending the last two press conferences.
05:52 Looking back, do you regret that decision and how are you feeling mentally now?
05:56 No, I don't regret the decisions.
06:00 I felt really disrespected and I felt really bad.
06:05 Grand Slam is not enough pressure to handle.
06:10 I just tried to focus on myself, on my game.
06:14 I really hope that you guys will understand me, my feelings.
06:18 You know that I really respect all of you and I'm always open.
06:21 You can answer whatever you want.
06:23 We will give all the information.
06:26 But in the last press conference I felt like my press conference became a political TV show.
06:33 I'm not an expert in politics, I'm just a tennis player.
06:37 I just need to step back and bring focus on my tennis, on my game.
06:45 I feel good that I did it and I feel sorry for you guys that you didn't have a chance to chat with me.
06:55 But I'm here today and I'm ready to give answers for every question you have.
07:01 We have a couple more in that.
07:03 I asked Alina this and whether she felt like it gave you an advantage because she was here and has answered a lot of difficult questions.
07:13 You hadn't done that for the last few days.
07:15 Do you feel like it gave you any kind of advantage of not having to face this over the last few days?
07:23 I think I handle a lot of political pressure on the press conference.
07:30 Over my last interviews I did.
07:32 I think it's not given me any advantage because I felt really bad and I couldn't sleep well.
07:39 I think this is not the key why I won this match today.
07:43 Hiya. You said after your press conference a few days ago you didn't feel safe in that press conference.
07:59 Today you have been asked questions about politics and what's happening.
08:02 Do you feel safe today?
08:04 Yes, I do.
08:06 Why?
08:08 I think probably because I had a few days to switch off from the press conference.
08:17 A few days to bring myself together.
08:20 A few days to realise a couple of things.
08:24 That's why I feel safer.
08:26 And nobody is putting words in my mouth so that's another reason.
08:31 Thank you very much.
08:33 Thank you.
08:35 Thank you.